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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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,-~\§%££## SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ AND A GIFT SHOP. ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ CONSIDERED POOR. ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# SOME ARE SHATTERED. #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## §§ ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# §§ §§ #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ §§ §§ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% §§ %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ LIT FROM BEHIND. ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ §§ ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ §§ §§ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ §§ §§ §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% §§ %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# FLOOR. #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ BECOME STILL. §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ §§ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ §§ §§ ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## §§ §§ ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# §§ #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ££%§\~-,,,
,,-~\§%££# SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, #££%§\~-,,
,-~\§%££## AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ##££%§\~-,
,,-~\§%££# #££%§\~-,,
,,,-~\§%££ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ££%§\~-,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK £%§\~-,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,,,-~\§ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE §\~-,,,,,,
,,,,,-~\§% THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? %§\~-,,,,,
,,,,-~\§%£ £%§\~-,,,,
,,,-~\§%££ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ££%§\~-,,,
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